Page 1 of 14 Australian Government Higher Education (CRICOS) Registered Provider number: #00212K
Unit Outline 2014
Faculty of Arts and Design
Public Relations Strategy: Issues and Crisis Management
9038
Cartoon: dilbert.com
Page 2 of 14 Australian Government Higher Education (CRICOS) Registered Provider number: #00212K
This Unit Outline must be read in conjunction with:
a) UC Student Guide to Policies, which sets out University-wide policies and procedures, including information on matters such as plagiarism, grade descriptors, moderation, feedback and deferred
exams, and is available at (scroll to bottom of page)
http://www.canberra.edu.au/student-services
b) UC Guide to Student Services, and is available at (scroll to bottom of page) http://www.canberra.edu.au/student-services
c) Any additional information specified in section 6h.
1: General Information
1a Unit title: Public Relations Strategy: Issues and Crisis Management
1b Unit number: 9038
1c Teaching Period and year offered: 1st Semester, 2014
1d Credit point value: 3
1e Unit level: 3
1f Unit Convener
James Mahoney
Room: 9C7
T: 02 62012 255
Hardcopy material to Assignment Box 6, outside 9C7.
Consultation: Wednesday, 1000-1130
1g Administrative contact
Brooke Barnes
Room: 9C6
Page 3 of 14 Australian Government Higher Education (CRICOS) Registered Provider number: #00212K
2: Academic Content
2a Unit description and learning outcomes
This unit examines the processes involved in developing and implementing a strategic public relations
plan that will help an organisation to achieve its goals and includes the role of senior public relations
counsellors in advising management on communication strategy. A strategic planning project and case
history-based exercises provide students with practical, hands-on experience of working as a member
of a project team to analyse the communication needs of an organisation and develop and implement
communication strategies and tactics to address them.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Analyse the communication needs of an organisation, including identifying issues;
2. Write a public relations strategy;
3. Manage crisis communication;
4. Manage the implementation of a public relations plan; and
5. Plan an effective evaluation process for the strategy.
Approach to the unit
Public Relations Strategy links communication planning with the business planning processes of
organisations. The nature of the topic means that the unit has a substantial reading load.
The unit builds on what you have done so far in your public relations degree. Therefore, you will be
expected to apply all the public relations theory and skills and communication theory you have learnt
in the last two years to every aspect of this unit.
Till now, your studies have, together with theoretical principles covered in other units, been concerned
with building your knowledge of public relations, and developing writing and tactical planning skills.
To do that, you worked in an already determined public relations strategic plan framework. In Strategy
youll research, plan and write that strategic framework yourself.
To do all this, well be using problem-based learning applied through the case method of teaching. This approach reflects the reality of professional practice. This means practical, hands-on experience of working as a member of a project team to analyse and understand the communication needs that
arise in a particular situation, and developing appropriate strategies to address those needs.
How well do this
For this unit, tutorials are called Case Meetings.
Lectures and Case Meeting discussions will deal with the process of public relations strategic
planning.
Weekly cases will be posted to the units Moodle site ahead of the relevant Case Meeting or discussion forum.
To successfully complete the unit, students will need to read and understand the cases, complete
specific weekly readings, and to anticipate, and respond effectively to questions to be posed by the
tutor - and to prepare possible answers.
Case Meetings will begin in Week 2 and will follow this format:
Page 4 of 14 Australian Government Higher Education (CRICOS) Registered Provider number: #00212K
First, small groups will discuss a set of questions related to the relevant strategic plan element as it applies to that weeks cases. Each small group will be given separate questions to explore at the beginning of this segment of the Case Meeting.
In the second segment, one student from each group will report to the whole Case Meeting on the results of their groups exploration of the topic. Reporting duties should be shared.
For the fourth segment, the tutor will pose questions to the whole Case Meeting group to further explore that weeks strategic plan element cases.
From Week 3, the final segment of Case Meetings will require small groups to re-convene to plan
what they need to do to prepare for the following weeks online discussion.
Students will be assessed on the quality of their individual contributions to Case Meeting discussions
related to the development of public relations strategies (see Part B of Assessment 2 below for
assessment criteria).
2b Generic skills
This unit is designed to help students develop communication, problem solving, planning and project
management skills relating to professional public relations practice, especially for developing strategic
public relations plans; and contributes particularly to the development of the following graduate
attributes the University expects students to build during their studies:
1) Communication - The ability to present knowledge, ideas and opinions effectively and
communicate within and across professional and cultural boundaries.
2) Analysis and Inquiry - The ability to gather information, and to analyse and evaluate information
and situations in a systematic, creative and insightful way.
3) Problem Solving - The ability to apply problem-solving process in novel situations; to identify and
analyse problems then formulate and implement solutions.
4) Working Independently and with others - The ability to plan their own work, be self-directed
and use interpersonal skills and attitudes to work collaboratively.
5) Professionalism & Social Responsibility - The capacity and intention to use professional
knowledge and skills ethically and responsibly, for the benefit of others and the environment.
2c Prerequisites and/or co-requisites
7130 Public Relations Writing, and 9029 Public Relations Planning and Practice.
Please note: in 2013 students waivers will be approved for 9029, Public Relations Planning and
Practice, due to the change in the degree sequence; students will study 9029 in 2nd
semester.
3: Delivery of Unit and Timetable
3a Delivery mode
On campus in standard semester. This program will involve:
One 1 hour lecture per week in Weeks 1 to 7 and 9 to 13
One 2 hour Case Meeting per week in Weeks 2-13
Page 5 of 14 Australian Government Higher Education (CRICOS) Registered Provider number: #00212K
Formal lectures will be supplemented with podcasts and editions of a video program, The Brainstorm.
Details of how to access editions of these supplementary resources will be posted to Moodle.
3b Timetable
Week Activity
1 LECTURE: Introduction to Public Relations Strategy
What is PR Strategy and why, and how, is it linked to the business planning cycle?
A strategy outline.
Detailed description of what is required to successfully complete assessments
Readings: Chapter 2, Mahoney, J. (2013). Strategic Communication: Principles and Practice, Oxford
University Press, South Melbourne, pp.12-30; Chapter 3, pp. 31-42; Time Out on the importance of
theory, pp. 43-48.
NO CASE MEETINGS IN WEEK 1
2 LECTURE: Situation Analysis External threats and opportunities
Formative research: What is happening in the environment(s) in which the organisation is
operating now or would like to operate in?
Impacts of global, economic and technological changes and changing stakeholder expectations.
How can we find out? Secondary research.
Readings
From the foundation readings on e-Reserve: Silverman, D. (2008). Will Our Customers Bail Us Out? Harvard Business Review, May, pp. 37-48.
Supplementary reading: Heath, R. L. & Palenchar, M. J. (2009). Scouting the Terrain (Ch. 3) in
Strategic Issues Management: Organisations and Public Policy Challenges, 2nd
ed. Sage: Thousand
Oaks, pp. 87-124.
CASE MEETING: How the tutes will work; run-down on assessment requirements; first case
analysis.
Case Analysis: Situation analysis (Part 1). Case: Silverman, D (2008). Will Our Customers Bail Us Out? Harvard Business Review, May, pp. 37-48. On e-Reserve.
3 LECTURE: Analysing the Organisation Internal strengths and weaknesses
The dominant coalitions requirements
The organisation and its communication needs
Readings: Mahoney (2013), Chapter 5, pp. 65-88.
CASE MEETING: situation analysis.
4 LECTURE: Identifying and Analysing the Target Publics
With whom do we have to communicate to achieve our objectives?
What do they already know? What do they believe?
How do they feel about the situation and our organisation?
Readings: Mahoney (2013), Chapter 6, pp. 89-108.
Supplementary reading: Chapter 4, The Publics in Public Relations, in D. W. Guth and C. Marsh (2006). Public Relations: A Values-Driven Approach, 3
rd ed., Pearson, Boston, pp. 92-136.
CASE MEETING: Analysing the organisation
Page 6 of 14 Australian Government Higher Education (CRICOS) Registered Provider number: #00212K
5 LECTURE: Communication Goals and Objectives
Identifying and clearly stating communication goals
Setting communication objectives in terms of measurable outcomes
The difference between process outputs and outcomes
How will you be able to determine whether your communication activities have been successful or not?
Reading: Mahoney (2013), Chapter 7, pp. 109-123.
CASE MEETING: Identifying target publics
6 LECTURE: Developing Effective Messages
What will attract the interest and gain the attention of the target publics? What are they likely to be interested in or concerned about?
What will motivate them to consider the message?
Legal and ethical considerations.
Reading: Mahoney (2013), Chapter 8, pp. 129-144; Mahoney (2013), Time Out on intercultural
communication, pp. 125-128.
CASE MEETING: Setting goals and objectives
7 LECTURE: Communication (or Message Delivery) Strategies
Identifying practical, cost-effective communication strategies to achieve objectives
Communication channels and strategic alliances
Prioritising message delivery options.
Reading: Mahoney (2013), Chapter 9, pp. 145-164.
Supplementary reading: Wilcox, D.L. & Cameron, G.T. (2006). Communication (Ch 7).
In Wilcox & Cameron (2006). Public Relations: Strategies and tactics (8th ed), pp.171-192.
Pearson..
CASE MEETING: Situation analysis oral exams
8 No classes: Mid semester break
9 LECTURE: Tactics to Implement Communication Strategies
Selecting an appropriate mix of communication tools.
Are the proposed tactics doable? Do you have sufficient resources (money and time)?
Readings: Mahoney (2013), Chapter 10, pp. 165-179.
Supplementary reading: Stanton, R. (2007). Tactical approaches to successful media relations (Ch 4).
In Stanton (2007). Media Relations, Oxford University Press, pp 49-76.
CASE MEETING: Developing messages and communication, or message delivery, strategies
10 LECTURE: Managing communication during a crisis
They happen suddenly, publicly and often cause a lot of harm. Could YOU handle your organisations internal and external communication during a crisis?
Readings: Langford, M. in Tench & Yeomans (2009), Chapter 19, pp. 385-408.
CASE MEETING: Aligning publics, messages and strategies, tactics
Page 7 of 14 Australian Government Higher Education (CRICOS) Registered Provider number: #00212K
11 LECTURE: Implementing a public relations strategy
Why and how implementation works as a strategic system.
Reading: Mahoney (2013), Chapter 11, pp. 186-204; Time Out on applying professional practice skills to
strategy, pp. 181-185.
CASE MEETING: Tactics, messages and communication strategies
12 LECTURE: Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Communication Plan
How will you know if your strategy was successful?
How will you assess the implementation of the plan?
Reading: Mahoney (2013), Chapter 12, pp. 205-221.
Supplementary reading: Xavier, R., Mehta, A., and Gregory, A. (2006). Evaluation in Use: The Practitioner
View of Effective Evaluation. PRism, 4(2).
CASE MEETING: Implementing a public relations strategy
13 LECTURE: Strategic communication counselling
The importance of counselling as a strategic communication function.
Explaining strategic directions.
Reading: Mahoney (2013), Chapter 13, pp. 222-233.
Supplementary reading: Thompson, S. & John, S. (2007). Corporate Social Responsibility (Ch. 6). In S.
Thompson & S. John, Public Affairs in Practice: A Practical Guide to Lobbying, Kogan Page, London, pp.
121-140.
CASE MEETING: Crisis communication exercise. This will include a live online component, so please make sure you are familiar with the information that appears in the assessment section below.
4: Unit Resources
4a Lists of required texts/readings
The required text for this unit, available in the Co-Op Bookshop, is:
Mahoney, J. (2013). Strategic Communication: Principles and Practice, Oxford University
Press, South Melbourne.
Supplementary readings, including that for Week 10 are available from the Librarys e-Reserve listing and can be accessed under the name of the unit, or the convenors name. The units Moodle site has a link to e-Reserve. The direct link is: http://docutek.canberra.edu.au/eres/coursepage.aspx?cid=1512
4b Materials and equipment
Normal computing and word processing equipment.
Page 8 of 14 Australian Government Higher Education (CRICOS) Registered Provider number: #00212K
4c Unit website
To find your unit site online, login to LearnOnline(Moodle) using your student ID.
Note that your unit site has a profiles page that displays your name and email address for the benefit of
other students. If you prefer to hide your email address, click here for instructions.
5: Assessment
5a Assessment overview
Assessment item Due date Weighting
(out of 100%)
Learning
outcome(s)
Related generic
skill(s)
1. Oral exam: situation analysis Week 7 25% 1 1, 2, 3
2. Public relations strategy
- Development discussions
- Strategy
Weekly
Week 12
20%
30%
1, 4, 5
2
1, 2, 3
All
3. Crisis communication exercise Week 13 25% 3 3, 4, 5
UC Generic Skills
1 - Communication
2 - Analysis and Inquiry
3 - Problem Solving
4 - Working independently and with others
5 - Professionalism and Social Responsibility
5b Details of assessment items
Assessment 1: Oral exam on situation analysis
Weighting: 25% of the semester total
Due date: Week 7 normal Case Meeting times
A situation analysis is the first, and arguably the most important, part of a public relations strategy. It
identifies the issues an organisation faces and presents an analysis of them. This analysis drives the
development of the strategy. An in-depth understanding of the situation facing the organisation, and its
implications, as well as the ability to explain this clearly in a strategy, is a vital requirement for a
practitioner.
This assessment is designed to test your knowledge and understanding of the principles of a situation
analysis. These were outlined in Public Relations Planning and Practice last year, and will be dealt
with more extensively in lectures and Case Meetings in the lectures, readings and case meetings in
Weeks 1-3.
Preparation and oral exam process
For this assessment you will prepare a mind map showing an outline of the situation analysis for your strategy and illustrating how it applies to the principles of situation analysis. Preparing a mind
map will be discussed in early lectures.
Page 9 of 14 Australian Government Higher Education (CRICOS) Registered Provider number: #00212K
You have five weeks from the first case meeting to research for, and prepare, your mind map, which
will be based on the organisation you are allocated for Assessment 2 (see below). This means you
need to start work on your mind map as soon as possible after you attend the Week 2 Case Meeting.
In Week 7, the times allocated for regular Case Meetings will be used for individual oral exams, the
times for which will be allocated at the first Case Meeting.
You will have no more than 10 minutes to present you mind map to your tutor and the unit convenor,
and to answer any questions they have.
Your mark/grade will be based on how well you demonstrate that your knowledge of a situation
analysis is applied to the specific situation facing your organisation (Learning Outcome 1). The
assessment criteria for the oral examination are based on those set out below for strategy development
discussions with obvious adaptations that omit the discussion elements.
Your ability to write a situation analysis for a PR strategy will be assessed as part of Assessment 2.
Assessment 2: Research and write a public relations strategy
This assessment has two, inter-locked components that reflect the research, development and writing
tasks involved in preparing a public relations strategy.
Part A: Strategy development discussions
Weighting: 20% of the semester total mark.
Due date: Weeks 2- 7, 9-12.
This part of Assessment 2 is an individual, not a group, mark.
Contributing to discussions about strategy-making is an important skill in professional public relations
practice. We cannot escape it.
Discussions about context, goals, objectives, messages, target publics, communication channels and
tactics, budgets and evaluation are core team activities in strategic planning. They are when you need
to demonstrate your knowledge, skills and solutions to problems posed by clients and professional
colleagues.
This part of the assessment is designed to capture the spirit of professional practice discussions about
strategic planning. See also 6a below about workload for this unit.
Case Meeting discussion topics will be based on actual, award-winning Public Relations Institute of
Australia Golden Target Award winning entries, other case material (for example, the Week 2 case),
and exercises developed from real news items.
Your contributions will need to apply the principles of the relevant strategy element to the case.
For example, students have been asked to discuss the development of parts of a public relations
strategy to address the issue of taser use by police; they examined a strategy to deal with Australians consumption of salt. Both examples came from then current news items.
Further details of how discussions will work will be given in the first lecture and first Case Meeting.
Page 10 of 14 Australian Government Higher Education (CRICOS) Registered Provider number: #00212K
Assessment of strategy development discussions
The following guide to how tutors will mark your weekly discussions demonstrates the level at which
you will need to contribute to achieve high marks.
High Distinction (17-20 marks for the semester)
You regularly made contributions to Case Meetings and online sessions that (i) kept
discussions focussed, (ii) demonstrated an excellent understanding of the material, and (iii)
showed evidence of reading the set text and/or the lecture and relevant additional reading
AND
You listened and responded to contributions made by others without dominating Case
Meetings and online discussions.
Distinction (15-16 marks)
You regularly made contributions to Case Meetings and online sessions that (i) demonstrated a
very good understanding of the material, and (ii) showed evidence of reading the set texts
and/or the lecture AND
You listened and responded to contributions made by others without dominating Case
Meetings and online discussions.
Credit (13-14 marks)
You often made contributions to Case Meetings and online sessions that (i) demonstrated a
good understanding of the material, and (ii) showed evidence of reading the set texts AND
You listened and responded to contributions made by others without dominating Case
Meetings and online discussions.
Pass (10-12 marks)
You made a number of relevant, informed contributions over the semester.
Fail (NC, NX, NN: 0-9 marks)
You made little or no attempt to participate throughout the semester OR your contributions
were almost always irrelevant and/or uninformed.
Part B: Write a public relations strategy
Weighting: 30% of the semester total
Due date: Week 12
Students will write a strategy for a real organisation to which they will be randomly assigned at the
first Case Meeting in Week 2.
Organisations for this assignment will be a public company, a Commonwealth, State or local
government agency, or a not-for-profit organisation, that won a Gold Award in the 2013 Australasian
Reporting Awards. That is, their annual reports are regarded as best practice.
Each organisation publishes an online version of its annual report. In professional public relations
practice, an organisations annual report is the single most important primary source for information about it. You should therefore access your organisations annual report as a basic starting point for examining the organisation, its environment, issues with which it is concerned, and its communication
activities. Seek additional information from other sources about the organisation and the social,
economic and political contexts in which it operates, including its field or industry.
Page 11 of 14 Australian Government Higher Education (CRICOS) Registered Provider number: #00212K
NOTE: With the approval of the unit convenor, students may write a strategy on an organisation of
their choice, but those who want do this should be aware that they will need to do additional research.
Choices for a strategy
For this assessment, students have a choice between two approaches. They will prepare a full public
relations strategy that:
a) Proposes a campaign to deal with an issue facing the organisation; OR
b) Plans the launch of a new product (or the re-launch of an existing product) produced by the organisation.
The lecture schedule and readings have been designed to provide the information you need to deal
with when you write the required elements of a strategic public relations strategy (see How we will do this on pp. 3-4 of this outline).
In the second part of the semester, youll be given a strategic plan template, which you must use, to help you to write your strategy.
Your marks for this assignment will be based on the appropriate and accurate application of the
principles of researching and writing a relations strategy to demonstrate you achieved Learning
Outcome 2, in association with Part A of the assignment below.
Assessment 3: Crisis communication
Weighting: 30% of the semester total
Due date: Your Week 13 case meeting
This will be an interactive live exercise that will build up during the semester.
The actual crisis will happen in your Week 13 Case Meeting. You will participate via our Moodle site, in a live and interactive exercise, so you will need to use a laptop, or a computer in a campus lab. Youll be required to use the principles of public relations strategy and crisis communication management to justify some of your answers.
The Week 10 lecture will deal with communication during crises as does the reading for that week, so youll have plenty of time to prepare for the exercise. Students should peruse the prescribed crisis communication readings - and other appropriate readings - early in the semester. DONT leave it till the last minute.
At various times during the semester (not yet specified: it is a crisis after all!), episodes of the scenario
that will build the organisations situation will be posted to Moodle.
Students will individually respond to the crisis by applying public relations principles to
communication with a range of target publics.
Prepare for the exercise by reading Tench & Yeomans, Chapter 19, which is listed as the required
reading for Week 10.
Your marks for this assignment will be based on the appropriate application of the principles of
strategy and crisis communication management to demonstrate you achieved the Learning Outcome 3.
Page 12 of 14 Australian Government Higher Education (CRICOS) Registered Provider number: #00212K
5c Submission of assessment items
All assessment items will be submitted online via the unit Moodle site. The first page of each
assessment submission should include the following information:
Student Name:
Student ID:
Assessment Name:
Word Count (if applicable):
An assignment cover sheet is not required but you must, on the first page of your assignment,
confirm the following declaration at the time of submission.
I certify that:
the attached assignment is my own work and no part of this work has been written for me by any other person except where such collaboration has been authorised by the
lecturer/s concerned;
material drawn from other sources has been fully acknowledged as to author/creator, source and other bibliographic details according to unit-specific requirements for
referencing; and
no part of this work has been submitted for assessment in any other unit in this or another Faculty except where authorised by the lecturer/s concerned.
5d Special assessment requirements
N/A
5e Supplementary assessment
Refer to the UC Supplementary Assessment Policy
5f Academic Integrity
Students have a responsibility to uphold University standards on ethical scholarship. Good
scholarship involves building on the work of others and use of others work must be acknowledged with proper attribution made. Cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of data are
dishonest practices that contravene academic values. Please see UC's Academic Integrity
Policy.
To enhance understanding of academic integrity, it is expected that all students will complete
the LearnOnline Academic Integrity Module (AIM) at least once during their course of study.
The module is automatically available as a listed site when students log into LearnOnline.
5g Use of text-matching software
The University of Canberra has available, through LearnOnline (Moodle), text-matching
software that helps students and staff reduce plagiarism and improve understandings of
academic integrity. Known as URKUND, the software matches submitted text in student
assignments against material from various sources: the internet, published books and journals,
and previously submitted student texts. Click here for further information on the URKUND
text-matching software.
Page 13 of 14 Australian Government Higher Education (CRICOS) Registered Provider number: #00212K
6: Student Responsibility
6a Workload
The amount of time you will need to spend on study in this unit will depend on a number of
factors including your prior knowledge, learning skill level and learning style. Nevertheless, in
planning your time commitments you should note that for a 3cp unit the total notional
workload over the semester or term is assumed to be 150 hours. These hours include time
spent in classes. The total workload for units of different credit point value should vary
proportionally. For example, for a 6cp unit the total notional workload over a semester or term
is assumed to be 300 hours.
6b Accessibility unit
Students who need assistance in undertaking the unit because of disability or other
circumstances should inform their Unit Convener or UC AccessAbility as soon as possible so
the necessary arrangements can be made.
6c Participation requirements
There is an expectation that students will attend and participate in all structured time; lectures,
Case Meeting and online sessions. This is because participation through attendance, or online,
is an important and significant component of learning design. Not only is this relevant to the
gaining of knowledge and skills appropriate to this particular subject but it also applies to your
degree as a whole.
From our experience, there is a significant link between a students attendance/participation, and the quality of their learning outcomes demonstrated by the submitted assessable project
components.
6d Withdrawal
If you are planning to withdraw please discuss with your unit convener. Please see Withdrawal
of Units for further information on deadlines.
6e Required IT skills
Normal computing skills.
6f In-Unit Costs
None other than HECS.
(Note: To calculate your unit fees see: How do I calculate my fees?.
The online UC Co-op Textbook Search is available for purchasing text books.)
6g Work placements, internships or practicums
N/A
Page 14 of 14 Australian Government Higher Education (CRICOS) Registered Provider number: #00212K
6h Additional information
N/A
7: Student Feedback
All students enrolled in this unit will have an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on
the unit at the end of the Semester via the Unit Satisfaction Survey (USS) which you can
access by logging into MyUC via the UC homepage: http://www.canberra.edu.au/home/. Your
lecturer or tutor may also invite you to provide more detailed feedback on their teaching
through an anonymous questionnaire.
8: Authority of this Unit Outline
Any change to the information contained in Section 2 (Academic content), and Section 5
(Assessment) of this document, will only be made by the Unit Convener if the written
agreement of Head of Discipline and a majority of students has been obtained; and if written
advice of the change is then provided on the unit site in the learning management system. If
this is not possible, written advice of the change must be then forwarded to each student
enrolled in the unit at their registered term address. Any individual student who believes
him/herself to be disadvantaged by a change is encouraged to discuss the matter with the Unit
Convener.